Our mission at First Baptist Church is to glorify God by following The Jesus Way. We believe that followers of Jesus (Christians) should always be on a journey of spiritual formation… being changed from the inside out. God expects us to keep growing and maturing throughout our lives. He wants us to be healthy and productive for his glory.
God has established the family as the foundation of human existence. Families are intended to provide a nurturing and guiding environment that helps children develop into healthy, inter-dependent adults. Families serve as the primary context for spiritual formation and parents are the main spiritual influence in a child’s life.
Home Life is designed to help individuals and families be intentional about spiritual formation. The resources provided address a wide variety of challenges and opportunities. We use the imagery of the Psalm 1 Tree to help illustrate how spiritual formation looks in our lives. There are 3 parts to the tree that we focus on.
Purpose (identity) “deep roots”… Who am I?
The key to a healthy tree is a good root system. That’s why we start by focusing on “deepening our roots.” What happens below ground (in private) determines what happens above ground (in public). Deep roots come from knowing who we are and what we believe as followers of Jesus. We need to be grounded in the Word of God and choose to actively orient our lives around it.
Transformation (growth) “strong trunk”… What is happening to me?
In order for a tree to reach its full potential – and be able to support the weight of branches and leaves – it has to have a strong trunk. Each of us must choose to engage in attitudes and actions that will result in positive life change. Reading and reflecting on Scripture, being actively involved in the Body of Christ, and having healthy relationships are all part of the process.
Influence (impact) “fruit and shade”… What is happening through me?
Ultimately, a Psalm 1 Tree should benefit everything around it… providing fruit, shade and lodging. God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. We believe that transformed people impact culture and community. That starts at home and reaches around the world. We need to start by positively impacting those closest to us!
Here’s a picture of what spiritual formation looks like…